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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1. H. EICHBAUM. PNEUMATIG GUN l Patented Nov.24, 1891-.

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(No Mpaex.) 4' sheets-sheet 2.

H. EIOHBAUM. PNEUMATIG GUN.

No. 463,623. Patented Nov. 24, 1891.

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(No Model.) v 4 SheeLs-Sheet 3.

H- EICHBAUM. PNEUMATIG GUN.

No. 463,623. Patented Nov. 24; 1891.

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H. EIGHBA'UM. -PNEUMATIG GUN.

No. 463,623. Patented Nov. 24, 1891.

(No Model.)

vUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY EIOHBAUM, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

PNEUMATIC GUN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent o. 463,623, dated November24, 1891. Application filed May 23, 1890. Serial No. 352,859. (Nomodel.) Patented in England October 30, 1889, No. 17,185.

No. 17,185, dated October 30, 1889,) of which the following is aspeciiication. l

The subject of the present invention is pneumatic guns in which vthefiring-valve, which admits the pressure behind the projectile, mayalways make its full stroke, notwithstanding that the area or durationof the admission-opening is regulated according to the circumstancesunder which the projectile is to be delivered. The firing-valve mayconveniently surround or encircle the tube or barrel of the gun, thoughthe control device may be used with other kinds of valves. I-Iithertothe charge of compressed air or gas admitted to the barrel of apneumatic gun to impel the projectile has been regulated by limiting thestroke of the tiring-valve and the duration of its opening.

The object of this invention is to allow the firing-valve always to makeits full stroke and, if necessary, remain open while the projectile ispassing along thebarrel by regulating the area of the opening oropenings by. which the impelling air enters the barrel.

It will be evident that various devices may be adopted for regulatingthese openings through which the air enters the gun-tube, and I will nowdescribe one forni of apparatus by which this may be successfullyaccomplished, it being understood that I do not limit myself to any oneparticular apparatus for this purpose.

Throughout this specification the word firing is employed to define theact of disv charging the projectile, although in the gun constructedaccording to the present invention there is no ignition of powder orother explosive. rlhe word air 1s used to designate the compressed air'er other gas which may be employed to expel the projectile.

In the accompanying drawings, Figures 1 and 2 are respectively ahorizontal and a vertical section of the rear or breech end of apneumatic gun constructed according to this invention. Fig. 3 is atransverse section on the line a b of Fig. 2, and Fig. et is a View of adetached portion of the apparatus. Figs. 5, 6,and 7 are respectively apart lon,- gitudinal section and two cross-sections of the gun-barrel,with an internal sleeve, the cross-sections being taken on the line c CZof Fig. 5.

Like lett-ers indicate like parts throughout the drawings.

A is the gun tube or barrel, and A are openings formed in it atpreferably equal distances apart and of uniform size.

B is the breech-block, which may be moved horizontally in the guides Bin any convenient man ner.

C is the sleeve, shown with openings C', Figs. 1 and 3,which, whenplaced over them, correspond in size and position with thevbefore-mentioned openings A.

C2 is a fiange formed on the rear end of C and at one part provided withthe toothed sector C3, with which gears the worm D, the shaftD of whichmay be squared at oneendD2 to admit of a key or the like being placed onit. This shaft is supported in bracket-bearings D?, Figs. 1 and 4,secured in any convenient manner to a suitable stationary part of thegun, such as the ring or collar E.

C4, Fig. 4, is a scale marked on the sector G3, and F is an indexsecured to a fixed part of the gun for indicating the extent to whichvthe openings A are uncovered by the sleeve C.

G is the firing-valve, which at its forward end surrounds and is capableof sliding upon the gun-barrel A, and at its rear end slides upon thesleeve C from its closed position, in which it is shown in the lowerpart,to the firing position, in which it is shown in the upper part, ofFig. l, and vice versa. In Fig. 2 the valve G is represented as beingmoved from its firing to its closed position.

g g are shoulders or piston-surfaces formed on the exterior of thevalve, .and the former of which is of greater area than the latter.

g2 is the end of the valve, which is adapted to be pressed upon thevalve-seat H, a similar seat H being provided so as to act as a bufferfor the other end.

J is preferably a casting in which is formed the valve casing orcylinder J', in which the Valve G is capable of moving longitudinally,`and by the flange J2 of which it is secured to IOO the flange A2, formedupon or secured to the barrel A.

J8 are branches opening, as shown in liig. 3, into the air-belt J,which, together with said branches, preferably forms part of the castingJ. To the rear flange J of J is secured the before-mentioned ring orcollar E, between which and the iiange J5 the seating Il mayadvantageously be secured, in the manner shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Thebutter H is similarly retained in position between the flanges A2 and J3.

g3 are projections provided at suitable intervals apart on the outsideof the valve Gto assist in guiding it at its forward end within thecasing J.

K, Fig. 1, are side pipes secured to the branches J 3 `for supplying thecompressedair or gas by which the gun is fired.

J '5 is a boss formed on the casting J and in which terminate thepassages j and j', which respectively lead to the air-belt J 4, as shownI in Figs. 2 and 3, and to the interior of the casing or cylinder J, asshown only in Fig. 2.

L is a casting secured upon the boss J6, its two ports Z Z `joining' andforming continuations of thepassages j and j', as shown in Fig. 2. Thecasting L is hereinafter referred to as the valve-casing L. The interiorot this casingL is bored out so that its rear part Z2 may be of largerdiameter than the parts Z3 and Z4, which are of equal diameter. Theparts Z2 and Z3 are divided from each other by an annular recess or beltZ5, into which opens the port Z, and the parts Z3 and Zl aresimilarlydivided by a belt Z6, into which opens the portZ.

L is a flanged collar screwed into the frontend `of the valve-casing L,so as to hold the butter-ring Z7 in position, and provided with acentral opening Z8. L2 is the cover, which closes in the back end of thevalve-casing L, and is provided with a stop Z2.

M M is a twin piston-controlling valve, the part M of which accuratelyfits inside the short cylinder Z2, and the part M lits Z3 and Z.

M2 is the rod, which passes through the' opening Z2, and by which thecontrolling-valve M M may be moved when the gun is to be fired.

Then the before-described apparatus is in its normal condition and readyfor ring,the valve M occupies in the casing L the position in which itis shown in Fig. 2, so that the compressed air has free access throughthe pipes K, belt J4, passages and ports j, Z, Z', andj to thepiston-face t, upon whichit acts and holds the firing-val\v*e G, withits edge (2, tightly against the seat H, as shown in the lower part ofFig. l, and thus prevents the air passing into the gun-barrel A.

Assuming that when the position of the sleeve C leaves exposed somepartof the openings A it is desired to iire the gun, all that isnecessary is to move the valve M M so that M tits into the part Z2 ofthe casing L, by doing which the air-pressure is cut off from g, which,through j', Z', Z4, and Z2, is then Gases exposed only to theatmospheric pressure, and the compressed air, acting on the piston-faceg', forces the valve int-o the position shown in the upper part ofFig. 1. The compressed air is thus allowed to enter the gunbarrel Athrough the openings C and A to drive out the projectile. The valveM Mbe ing moved back to its original position, as shown in Fig. 2, thecompressed air, again acting on the piston-face g, will return the ValveG to. its seat H, as illustrated in the lower part of Fig. l, and thuscut olf from the barrel the supply of compressed air, and will ret-ainthe said valve G in its closed position until the valve lll M is againoperated.

By adjusting the position ot the sleeve C on the barrel Aby means of theshaft D and worm-gearing D C3 the extent of opening for the compressed`air to be admitted for tiring the gun may be regulated, or, if desired,it may be completely closed. It will thus be seen that the firing-valveG Lcanlalways make a complete stroke, no matter what amount of air is tobe admitted to the gun-barrel.

The positions of the :sleeve C and tiringvalve G ,may be transposed-thevalve inside and the sleeve outside; but the arrangement with the sleeveinside and the valve outside is preferred where the two `are contiguous.

The valves G and M M', if desired, maybe provided with anysuitable forniof packing to prevent leakage past their Working faces.

It will be seen that `instead of carrying `the valve and sleeve entirelyround the gun they might be stoppedoi and extend, say, only onehalf orone-quarter round, the action of Athe parts relatively to each otherbeing still the same. One objection to such a formation, however, wouldbe that the admission of the pressure would not be balanced andconcussion would probably ensue; also, by admitting the air all roundthe tube in the manner described a very large area or series of areascan be simultaneously and convenientlycentrolled.

It will be seen that modifications may be made in the apparatus withoutdeparture from the spirit of this invention. Oneexample would be theplacing of the sleeve C inside the gun-tube A instead of outside of it.This arrangement is illustrated in Figs. 5, (i, 7,;and 8, where, as willbe seen, the sleeve C is placed inside the gun-barrel A. Just asthearrangement with the sleeve on the outside of the gun-barrel was themost convenient with the annular valve, so the arrangement now beingdescribed, with the sleeve inside the gun-barrel` is particularlyconvenient where two cir cular tiring-valves on opposite sides of thegun are employed. These valves would rest upon the seatings N whenclosed and be with drawn from them when opened, the air or gas underpressure en tering by the circularopenings O, with which similarcircular openings A in the barrel A and O in the sleeve C correspondwhen the sleeve is turned, as indi* cated in Fig. 6. lVhen, however, itis desired IOO IIO

leases j a to restrict the area of the openings O, the sleeve C isturned within the gun-barrel, as shown in Fig. 7, in consequence ofwhich the edges P of the openings C in the sleeve overlap the edges ofthe openings A in the guntube and the space open for the passage of theair under pressure is correspondingly reduced. According to theconstruction of these openings, the sleeve C could be arranged so as toentirely close the openings; but usually it will be sufficient if thesleeve be adapted to reduce their area by anything up to about one-half.The sleeve in .this case may be rotated in a manner similar to thatalready described, excepting that the rack or worin C3 may be formed inthe body of the sleeve instead of upon a separate sector, and the worm Dand shaft D may be carried in a suitable recess or opening D4, formed inthe body of the gun-barrel, a cover or similar means D5 being providedto give access to the worm and to allow of its being placed in position.The operation is the same as already described.

Since the object of adjusting theslceve C is to regulate the effectivearea of the openings A', it is obvious that it may either be rotated asshown in the drawings, which arrangement is preferred, or it may bemoved longitudinally, for which latter purpose the rack C3 and worm Dcould be arranged to occ upy a position at right angles to that shown inthe drawings.

I claim- 1. The method of regulating the admission of the compressed airor gas which expels the projectile from a pneumatic gun, which consistsin first regulating the size of the openings in the gun and thenoperating the firing- Valve to admit the compressed air or gas throughthe openings, whereby the pressure behind the projectile may. beregulated with- 'out altering the extent or the duration of the openingof the iiringvalve or the pressure of thev air or gas behind said valve,substantially vided with radial ports around the firingchamber, of aregulating-valve, means for adj usting said valve to control the size ofsaid openings, and a firing-valve controlling the passage of the air tosaid openings, substantially as described.

5. In a pneumatic gun, the combination, with the barrel having air-inletopenings, of a sleeve arranged adjacent said inlet-openings and havingcorresponding openings, means for adjusting the sleeve with relation tosuch openings, and a firing-valve controlling the passage of the air'tosaid openings, substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. In a Apneumatic gun, the combination, with a barrel having air-inletopenings, of an adjustable sleeve having similar openings for regulatingthe effective area of the openings, and a firing-valve surrounding thesleeve and controlling the admission of air to the openings,substantially as described.

7. In a pneumatic gun, the combination, with the barrel havinginlet-openings, of a sleeve having openings surrounding said barrel andfitting a recess therein and provided with means for rotating it aroundthe barrel, and a firing-valve sliding longitudinally on the barrel andsleeve, substantially as described.

8. In a pneumatic gun, the combination,

with the gun-barrel having air-openings, of the sleeve provided withopenings corresponding with said air-openings, and means for roj ustingthe sleeve, substantially as described.

10. In a pneumatic gun, the combination,

with the tube or barrel having airopenings,

IOO

of a sleeve having similar openings adjustable within the barrel, thesleeve being provided with a rack, and a worm-wheel gearing with thesleeve, the worm being entirely inclosed by the barrel, the sleeve, andthe cover D5, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereto set my hand in the presence of the.two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY EICHBAUM. Y

Witnesses:

HARRY B. BRIDGES, CHARLES ROSE.

